1 . One day a mime(哑剧演员) is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw a crowd，a zookeeper drags him into his office. The zookeeper explains that the zoo’s most popular attraction，a gorilla(大猩猩)，has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla. The mime accepts.
The next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He soon discovers he can sleep all as he likes，play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime—the job he likes but loses.
However，with days going by，he begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience，he climbs to the top of his cage，crawls across a partition(隔墙)，and dangles(悬挂) from the top to the lion’s cage. The lion gets angry at this. The scene is a fuel to the crowd.
At the end of the day he is given a raise for being such a good attraction. Well，this continues for some time. The crowds grow larger，and the mime’s pay keeps going up.
Then one day when he is dangling over the lion he slips and falls. The mime is terrified. He starts screaming，“Help me!” But the lion is quick. The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says，“Shut up，you fool! Do you want to get us both fired?”
1. The mime accepts the zookeeper’s offer because ________.| A．he has been out of work | B．he doesn’t like being a mime |
| C．he likes performing at the zoo | D．he is a friend of the zookeeper |
| A．Hard and tiring. | B．Easy and funny. |
| C．Dangerous but exciting. | D．Boring but wellpaid. |
| A．find pleasure for himself | B．get the lion’s attention |
| C．win back his audience | D．get his pay raised |
| A．frightening | B．disappointing | C．familiar | D．exciting |
2 . Many studies have been conducted to discover the benefits of volunteering. Volunteer work means to carry out a duty or a job without expecting repayment or reward. The concept is very popular in advanced or rich countries. But in some countries, many people look at volunteering as a waste of time and effort.
One person is immediately seen as selfless and helpful when one volunteers to help out someone such as a friend, teacher or parent.
Besides, volunteering with an organization such as orphanages, community centers and other non-profit organizations allows you to interact with society at large. In addition to helping these organizations carry out their duties, you not only gain experience but can learn a variety of skills.
Thus, with so many benefits, students, in particular, should be allowed to participate volunteer activities.
| A．You will feel you are proud |
| B．Your will feel you are respected |
| C．This is especially beneficial to students |
| D．One should actively be involved in volunteering |
| E．However, one can get many benefits from volunteering |
| F．They can learn some useful interpersonal and organizational skills |
| G．Volunteering also exposes one to many interesting ideas and issues |
3 . I opened the big steel door to the school's front office. My hands were a bit sweaty, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my throat and tongue felt tense and dry. It was the first day of school. No, not for me as a student, but rather, for me as a first time reading tutor（助教）volunteering with the Experience Corps program.
I'm so proud to be part of such a worthwhile educational organization. The Experience Corps developed a research-based, statistically proven reading improvement program which consists of fun reading games. In the games, I'd play with each child and they didn't even realize that they were actually learning and improving their reading—we were having too much fun!
"Ms. R,"（as they called me）, "I read my book to my dog, Sunny, and she really liked it, too." Great! That's the idea—keep on reading to others at home to increase accuracy and fluency. "Ms. R, my mom has a baby in her belly. I'm going to be a big sister and will read to him when he comes out." That one made me feel all warm and sweet, and I told the student that she would be the best big sister ever. "Ms. R, why do you have gray hair?" I love the frankness of kids. I just laughed and told them it was better to have gray hair than no hair! We all giggled（傻笑）at that.
The students were tested throughout the year, and results showed that they were making progress in their reading. I hope I played at least a small part in their academic success. When I first volunteered to tutor, I was a bit anxious. I had no teaching experience, but I found out that you don't need any. All you need is the willingness to give of yourself and a desire to work one-on-one with these children who so desperately want to please you.
1. How did the author feel when first working as a reading tutor?| A．Curious. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Satisfied. | D．Pleased. |
| A．Helping improve the reading program. |
| B．Teaching students knowledge of all the subjects. |
| C．Playing various outdoor games with the students. |
| D．Offering reading guidance under the program. |
| A．To describe the pleasure of being a reading tutor. |
| B．To state how the Experience Corps program works. |
| C．To show how close the students are to the volunteer tutor. |
| D．To explain the difficulties and hardship of teaching. |
| A．Experience. | B．Devotion. |
| C．Knowledge. | D．Diligence. |
4 .
Hot Spots for Retirees to Start Their Encore Career
Encore Career: Vocational School Instructor
Retire in: Los Angeles, CA
Ever since IBM CEO Ginni Rometty coined the term “new collar” to describe well-paid jobs that require specific skills but not necessarily a degree, vocational schools have made a serious comeback. Apparently instructors are in short supply in sunny L.A., where there are 13 jobs at vocational schools for every applicant on the market. This is a great opportunity for skilled retirees since, unlike teaching at a public school that requires a state certificate, the only requirement here is that you be a seasoned expert in your field.
Encore Career: Business Consultant
Retire in: Miami, FL
Consulting is a great option for a retired business professional looking to make their own hours, be their own boss, and earn as much or as little as needed to maintain their standard of living. For every consultant in Miami right now there are 13 businesses hoping to hire them. There’s even greater demand here than in Washington D.C., which is typically considered the consulting capital of the world.
Encore Career: Tourist Wrangler
Retire in: Austin, TX
As the economy continues to boom and more Americans have extra income to spend, the tourism industry has taken off. This is particularly true in Austin, TX, where there were astonishing 36 tourism jobs for every applicant in July. Between four-star hotels, the noisy rock n’ roll scene, and a new food culture, Austin is the place to be if you want to work in service industry.
Encore Career: Supporter of the Arts
Retire in: Charleston, SC
If you’re a Baby Boomer with a degree in the arts, now could be the perfect time to revisit your passion for creativity, especially if you also want to live in the center of southern charm. Between the 14 art galleries on King Street in Old Town, an abundance of acting companies and theaters, and music festivals, it’s not surprising there were 25 jobs for every arty applicant iii Charleston.
1. Which career focuses on an applicant’s skills instead of a diploma?| A．Vocational School Instructor. | B．Business Consultant. |
| C．Tourist Wrangler. | D．Supporter of the Arts. |
| A．Los Angeles. | B．Miami. | C．Austin. | D．Charleston. |
| A．Children. | B．Graduates. | C．Retirees. | D．Tourists. |
